About Checkers vs Computer
Checkers vs Computer is a free online checkers game. You play American checkers, the 8×8 game also called draughts, against a computer opponent in your browser. There is nothing to download and no account to make. The board works with a mouse, a keyboard or a finger, and the computer comes in four strengths, from Easy to Insane.
How the rules work
- Board and pieces: the game uses the dark squares of an 8×8 board. Each side starts with 12 pieces, and dark moves first by default.
- Moving: an ordinary piece (a man) moves one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square.
- Capturing: jump over an adjacent enemy piece onto the empty square directly behind it. The captured piece is removed.
- Forced capture: when a capture is available you must make one. This option is on by default and can be turned off on the start screen.
- Multi-jumps: if your piece can keep jumping after landing, it must keep going until no jump is left. You can choose which route to take, but you cannot stop halfway.
- Kings: a man that reaches the far row becomes a king. If it arrives by a jump, its turn ends at once, even if more jumps were possible. A king moves one square diagonally forwards or backwards. Kings do not fly across the board.
- Winning: you win when the opponent has no pieces left or no legal move.
- Draws: if 40 half-moves go by in a row with no capture and no move of a man, the game is a draw. The number is a setting in the game configuration.
Tips for the opening and middlegame
- Keep your back row for a while. Pieces on your home row stop the opponent from crowning a king.
- Take the center. Pieces near the middle have more diagonal routes for moving and capturing, and fewer edges where they can be trapped.
- Advance together. A lone man that moves forward can be jumped. Keep pieces side by side so each one covers the square behind the other.
- Check what your move opens. Before you move, look at the squares you vacate. A gap can give the opponent a double jump.
- Use forced captures. Giving up one piece can force your opponent to capture into a position where you win two or more pieces back.
- Trade when ahead, stay closed when behind. With fewer pieces, the side with more kings usually has the edge. A king on an open diagonal is hard to stop.
How to beat the computer
- Start with Normal. Learn how forced captures and multi-jumps work before you move up. Easy makes more mistakes on purpose.
- Think two moves past the bait. The computer looks several moves ahead, so simple one-move traps rarely work. Look for sacrifices that pay off after the next capture.
- Use undo to test a line. You get a few undo steps per game. Use them to check an idea, not to avoid every blunder.
- Watch the draw count. If you are behind, a long quiet king shuffle can end in a draw, which is better than losing.
FAQ
Is Checkers vs Computer free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no download, no sign-up and no payment.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The board fills the width of a portrait phone screen, and you can tap or drag pieces.
Which rules does it use?
American checkers on an 8×8 board: men move forward, captures are jumps, multi-jumps must be completed, and kings are not flying kings.
Can I play as the light pieces?
Yes. Choose Light on the start screen. The computer then moves first, and the board turns so your pieces are at the bottom.
How strong is the computer?
Each level searches a set number of moves ahead within a time limit. Easy adds random errors, Normal plays solid moves, and Hard and Insane search deepest.